When I first started building and developing my proprietary Play Based Coaching® System (PBC) in 2003, I intuitively knew that children had to be at the centre of the intervention. So I created a system that "speaks" childhood play fluently and taps into potential in a non invasive way.

At the time, I didn't call it Play Based Coaching®, but as time progressed, and I found myself using the name more and more, I decided to formalise it and today this evidence informed approach is being used in 40 countries across multiple cultures, religions and demographics. 

This Play Based Coaching® System (PBC) works...

Why?

Because EVERY child has the same needs and those needs are simple...One of the things I teach in my Level 2 training is 'Choice Theory' which is based on the simple concept that every individual only has the power to control themselves and has limited power to control others. Applying Choice Theory allows children to take responsibility for...

Every week, our global network of world-class Kids Life Coaches are provided with bi-weekly group mentorship sessions. We get together on our Teaching Tuesdays and Thinking Thursdays to discuss case studies, come up with new coaching ideas, strategise on how to get the word out  but most of all to ask great questions about how to better serve our clients. 

One of the questions we have been tackling recently is the difference between parent coaching and kids life coaching. So let me get one thing clear. I am not a parent - this was not through choice. So I am not a 'parenting expert' by any stretch of the imagination.  However, as the founder of The Kids Life Studio® and Kids Life Coach Academy School, my background started as an early career teacher, then a school counsellor, and then a university lecturer in Behavioural studies. I also have a Masters degree in clinical child psychology yet I still call myself a Kids Life coach. 

Why?

Well, because my Play...

Are you growing or slowing?

A while ago, I had a spontaneous “grow something” kind of Sunday.  I visited two garden nurseries - one for cake and plants and the other for plants and pots….

I got home and potted some soil and made my new plants welcome in their new home! So let’s clear something up here. Don’t let my apparent enthusiasm for gardening today fool you into thinking I know what I’m doing. In fact I have never had green fingers and I rely on the help and advice of professionals to guide me.

This got me thinking…

As I potted and planted, I noticed that each plant was so unique. One needed part shade and the other liked full sun. The one didn’t like overwatering and the other was apparently very thirsty! The one was tall and the other short. One had flowers and the other fruit.

Yet I respected each one without judgment and realised this….

Plants grow where we plant them. They don’t...

My heart cries for the families who have lost their precious children in the recent mass Texas school shooting. Also for the families of the two teachers who lost their lives protecting the children in their care.

I am left with two main questions (and many more...)

1. Is this a gun problem?

Or

2. Is this a mental health issue?

I have read numerous news reports and of course they are always biased towards holding the government accountable for passing new more stringent gun laws to prevent this from happening again.

I agree.

Something has to be done at a higher level. This is a policy problem but is this about guns?

Or is this about ACE scores?

ACE stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences and a large scale research study way back in 1995 identified that toxic stress can alter how our DNA functions, and how that can be passed on from generation to generation.The study was one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and household challenges and the impact on...

Building resilience, leadership and mindset in children as a Kids Life Coach is my super power!

I love the topic of peak performance in children and can speak on it all day long!! I so admire how many parents are raising super resilient kids...what I have found is that tough situations can always be overcome if you are willing to accept the need to adapt and change.

I see the parents who face challenges head on doing one or more of these things....They have: 

a sense of connection and understand the value of the concept that it takes a village to raise a child,

a solid foundation of spirituality and their values are intact and their children have empathy and a servant attitude as a consequence,

a great optimistic attitude and they are an awesome role model that walks the walk and talks the talk with their own positive mindset towards life!!

How blessed am I to know so many parents getting it right!!! Much gratitude for the lessons they have shown me in my resilience research...

Have you heard of life coaching for children? As the founder of The Kids Life coach Academy online school, I have had the privilege of speaking to professionals in over 60 countries who decide to pursue a career as a certified Kids Life Coach.

When we first talk...They all say the same thing….

“Why don’t more people know about this?”

They always tell me that they wish they had a life coach growing up. They also always say that the problems in childhood are increasing and the current infrastructure can’t cope.

They always say that their country is behind and hasn't yet fully embraced mental health support in schools. They tell me all about the problems children in their country are facing. Yet...no matter where they are located...whether in Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, China or the USA...or any of the other countries in the world...

...The thing is…

The statistics are the same EVERYWHERE in the world. Self harm and suicide are...

Recently, one of our students showed such courage! She posted on our support forum about how she was finding that procrastination was standing in the way of her completing her training.  Despite wanting to move forward, she felt stuck! 

This is a common problem that many of our students have reported to us. However I want to reassure you that many of our students also push through and manage to finish within the allocated time frame for their Kids Life Coach Certification.

There is a lot of work to do in our training since we believe in doing things properly. This work takes discipline and what we have found is that the students who complete within a good time frame have these 10 things in common:

1. From day 1 they make an effort to attend our twice weekly mentorship sessions. If they can’t make it they watch the catch up recordings.

2. They pair up with at least one study buddy on the same journey and do weekly checkins.

3. They manage their diary and plan out...

Have you ever had one of those days where something happens to remind you about your big WHY? An unexpected little 'gift' comes your way that confirms you are on the right track?

Well today was one of those days.

So before I tell you what happened, let me give you a little bit of context.

Usually just before my birthday on 2 April, I engage in a time of reflection and recalibration. So, just over a week ago today, I pressed pause and I went away to the Midlands in England for two days, for a personal planning and strategy session. 

It is usually at this time that I stop all "urgent" items on my to-do list and I play and dream a little.  Usually when I do this...my mind is free to think out of the box and it was then that I had an epiphany - as I usually do when I press pause and play!

I realised that it has been literally almost three years since I have run a face to face Kids Life Coach retreat. I also realised just how much I have missed it! I realised that I was stuck...

When I first started coaching children full-time in 2005, I had left my career as a teacher in a reputable private school to pursue my passion of being a children's change maker. I had just completed my Honours Degree in Psychology of Education and I was lecturing Bachelor of Education (teaching) students part-time. 

At the time, I didn't officially call myself a Kids Life Coach. 

Why?

Well for 3 reasons:

1. The field was relatively unknown and I preferred to position myself as a well-educated academic and not a certified life coach because of the stigma associated with life coaching.

2. I came from a counsellling background and I was using a hybrid blend of therapy and skills training to support children who were struggling with a variety of everyday life challenges.

3. I wasn't trained as an accredited life coach since when I explored this option, there were no training providers specializing in children. 

In 2009, when I started first training professionals to use...